One Week Left
by SlyPieXD
Summary: AU. Kagome left her husband and child 6 years ago for unknown reasons. Now, they found her again, but it may be too late as her unexplained reason is creeping back up on her. Fairly long one shot; Don't own cover image; Cursing


**Okay so to some this story might escalate quickly. This is also my longest one shot and I'm sorry if it's a bit crazy and stuff. I dunno how I got the idea for a story. It started with me typing Kagome x InuYasha into Google images... Lots of adorable fluff in there.**

 **Disclaimer: I dont own InuYasha nor the cover image. Thanks~!**

* * *

Kagome didn't know what the hell was going on. One minute, she was walking towards the kitchen so she could get the home phone (she didn't have a cell phone for various reasons) and the next she heard the door burst open and turned to have something smack her across the face and she went spiraling backwards and onto the floor. The woman groaned and rose her hand to her burning cheek and looked up at the source. The second her eyes met with fiery gold ones, her heart stopped and she paled. She had not hoped to see this person for a very very long time. And behind him, clutching onto his pant leg with shaky hands, was the little boy who resembled her. And in that moment that she saw how beat up and hurt the boy was, she wanted to die. Right then and there.

o0o

"You bitch," a voice seethed. Kagome snapped back into reality, and her eyes fled from the boy to the man whom said child was holding onto. The boy seemed awfully silent the whole time. Kagome shakily stood up and faced the silver-haired Hanyou. _I knew this time would come sooner or later._ She thought sadly. _But not so soon._

Finally, the name was forced out of her mouth. "InuYasha..."

His glare intensified as he grabbed her arm in a bruising grip, and she was more scared than she'd ever been in her entire life. The level of anger and hate and all these other emotions were alarming, maybe even enough to send a rhinoceros running for its life.

"You fucking bitch," he said once more, "I'd say it's time we talk this out, don't you?" And then he smiled. A shiver ran up her spine. _That smile was not normal. Not at all._

She knew it now; the result of her actions. Now what she didn't know was how to explain this to him. Her eyes once again flitted down to the little boy who hadn't said a word. He was scared and shaking, she saw it. A mother's crouched down in front of the little boy, and his golden orbs widened as she gave him a soft and sweet smile. "Sweetie, do you see that brown door over there?" The little boy looked over her shoulder and saw said door, and replaced his frightened gaze back on her and nodded. "Good. Will you go in there and shut the door please? Don't open it no matter what, okay?"

The little boy almost went without hesitating, but his golden orbs looked back up to InuYasha, and the man looked back and nodded in approval and the boy ran off. The second she felt his gaze back on her and burning holes into her, she felt the tension rising. First things first.

"What are you doing here?" She choked out.

He growled and replied "Oh, you know, a certain bitch suddenly left her 2 year old child and husband one day and nobody was able to track her for _6 years!"_

She whimpered. She wanted to cry. But he didn't understand. He probably wouldn't even try to.

"...So you came back here to drop _our_ child on me?"

He snarled and she cringed, knowing that he was going to start shouting.

"Hell no! I will never leave _my_ child with such a selfish bitch!"

She wanted to cry. Her dam was breaking.

"Then... What are you here for?"

"BECAUSE YOUR DUMBASS ABANDONED YOUR ONLY FAMILY AND FINALLY WE FIND YOU AFTER 6 FUCKING YEARS AND I WANT TO KNOW WHY IN THE HELL YOU LEFT US!"

This.. Was good.. She was relating back on what he said. He said he'd never leave his child with her. Their child.. She heard it in his voice, his protectiveness over their kid. But she had no clue what to say, what to tell him. What was going through her mind was something that wouldn't make sense if she said it to him. _He loves our child. He said he'd never leave him. Or rather with me, but still._ But one look at him and she could tell he was hurting. Deep down, he was hurt still.

"I'm sorry." She finally said.

"What the hell is sorry going to fix?!" He snarled at her.

"If you came here so you could file a divorce with me then I can't object. I'll give you custody of our child. Anything you want. I'll do anything you need me to."

He wanted to hug her then, pour all of his worry and love that he had held for a long while, but anger was still filled up in half his being. He didn't know if he could forgive her. Living so peacefully while he and their child went through hell to find his wife and mother. What she did was unfair. He needed a reason, and he needed it now.

"Anything huh? Well then fucking explain. Don't assume I'll forgive you in the end. You've put a lot of shit on me- even on your own _flesh and blood_ intentionally! What the fuck drove you to leave us?!"

She knew this all already when she left. She remembered why it was so hard to leave them. She knew the aftermath. She knew that her actions wouldn't be forgiven. It was actually good that she was hearing this- she'd been waiting for him to have a protectiveness for their child, and for him to say that she wouldn't be forgiven. He _hated_ her now. It was what she needed to hear. But had she known it would hurt so much.. Maybe she would've considered this more. She felt like her heart had been torn from her chest and stomped upon. Yes, for now it hurt, but after he got tired of her shit and left her alone forever then the pain would go away. She'd be a soulless shell.

She gave a small little "ha" of triumphant, but it came out more of a whimper, and amongst her broken smile, tears poured down her face like a river, the dam to her emotion finally breaking and letting it all flow freely. In that instant, InuYasha's face softened a hell of a lot more, but he was confused. _Why the hell is she crying if she walked out on us?_

Immediately, before he could react, she fell to her knees, her face in her hands as her whole body racked with sobs, and his shocked amber eyes continued to watch her as she finally screamed,

"InuYasha you don't understand! It hurt me so much; so unbearably bad to leave you and... My poor little baby behind.. It hurt me too InuYasha!"

As she wailed, he rose his voice over her own, "Then why the hell did you leave us?"

Then, the pain he had been feeling resurfaced, and his voice cracked. "Why did you leave me all alone?"

In the next instant, they were holding each other tight in their arms, but InuYasha had an excruciatingly tight grip on her, scared that he'd wake up to find her gone again.

As their pain combined together and released from them, the air felt lighter, and so did their hearts. But...they both had no clue if they could continue on like nothing ever happened.

Soon enough, they sat on the couch in quiet before Kagome looked up and called, "Taiyo sweetie, come in here please!"

After a moment of silence, the brown door opened and out stepped the frightened little boy, and he shakily made his way over to the couch. Kagome couldn't ignore the look of confusion and curiosity, and smiled softly at him. The little boy- Taiyo- walked over to Kagome and looked up at her. Taiyo was an obvious child that shared visible traits from InuYasha and Kagome. The boy had her raven hair, InuYasha's ears (though his are black) and had InuYasha's golden eyes. The boy wore grey sweatpants and a purple shirt. At the woman's smile, the boy unexpectedly calmed down a lot. He could feel it- this woman was special to him. He didn't even flinch as her hands caressed his cheek, a bruise rested there, and roamed her hands over his body for more injuries. Like a mother's calling, she flared, but not wanting to scare Taiyo, asked calmly;

"Why is my baby covered in bruises?"

The 8 year old boy had enough sense by now to actually listen to the woman. If this is the person that they had searched for a long time for, then that meant that she was special to him in some way. Out of the corner of the boy's eyes, he saw his dad's ears flatten, and the boy quietly replied,

"For having demon blood in me. I was bullied for it."

The woman gasped as she reached under the couch for a first aid kit that she kept there for emergencies. Why under the couch? Well, she ran out of hidden places. As she opened it, her eyes locked with the boys, and she asked;

"So do you hate your demon blood?"

By now, Taiyo didn't need to hesitate to answer her. After all, if his dad hadn't cut in by now and got angry at her for prying, then she must have some special relation to them.

"No. Daddy is a Hanyou, so he has demon blood and he's fine with it. If dad is fine I'm fine."

Kagome smiled widely. _I'm so glad he looks up to his dad. He's grown up a lot... Almost too much for me..._

She saw it herself; InuYasha smiled with pride and she almost giggled. She'd hoped a long time ago that if they had a child, he'd smile upon said child that way.

"Haha, really now?" She said, bandaging his wounds steadily and carefully, "You know your daddy got picked on when he was a kid too? But people didn't see that a Hanyou can be just as beautiful as everyone else. I've never called your father a 'filthy halfbreed' or even use that term. Never called him a Hanyou, nothing. It's because his heart was beautiful and strong that I didn't care who he was. I see the same thing in you, Taiyo."

The little boy became embarrassed at the comment, and as a blush spread across his face, his head turned in his dad's direction; he was also embarrassed! What was going on here?! The next thing that came from Taiyo's mouth caused Kagome to start laughing;

"Feh!"

Although the strange looks she was getting was off putting, she laughed so hard that she started to cry. _I haven't laughed like this in 6 years. It feels like we're a happy family._ The second those thoughts registered in her head, she froze and abruptly stopped laughing. _Except nothing will go back. After InuYasha knows that I can't tell him why I left, he'll leave me. I'll never see them again._

A tear that wasn't from her laughing slid down her face as she clenched her fists in her lap and bowed her head down so her bangs would cover her eyes; they couldn't see her cry. Not now.

"You guys," she said steadily and softly, " should be heading on home, right?"

At the question, InuYasha shot straight up and glared over at her.

"Yeah? Didn't you just say that it was 'hard to leave us' and that you didn't want to abandon me and your own son?! Do you want us to leave?!"

He grabbed her shoulders and a hand grabbed her chin as he forced her to look up at him; the eyes that had been needing her for 6 years, worried for 6 years, pained for 6 years.

 _Yes. Just say yes, and they'll go away and live a happy life together._ _ **Without me.**_

"No.." She choked out finally. Her heart betrayed her mind. As she said that, her mind blew into chaos. Was this what was supposed to happen?! She wasn't going to see them for the rest of her life. Why had fate spun her back around, guiding her down the path that she never thought out for herself. If it was going to be like this, she wouldn't have left them, wouldn't have spent 6 years in pain and guilt.

InuYasha's face relaxed. His glare was long forgotten. _She isn't lying._

He grabbed the woman into a hug, and nearly cut his tongue in half with his fangs when her sobbing voice asked;

"Will things be the same now? After I left you guys all alone for 6 years?"

It was still. Quiet. Kagome's hope slowly diminished. _Why would things go back? Why should I deserve a second chance?_

"Only if you want it to Kagome."

Her body warmed as her eyes sparkled and her arms tightened around him. _He's given me another chance!_

"Thank you InuYasha.."

He smiled into her hair. He was happy. But something bothered him, strangled his mind to no end. _If she was so willing to come back to us, then why did she leave to begin with?_

Before he could ask, she had already let go of him was standing up, stretching before she picked Taiyo up in her arms. He watched her intently, as she mouthed "Sleeping" to him. He nodded in understanding before she walked over to a different brown door and quietly stepped inside. She gently set Taiyo down and placed the covers over him. She kissed his forehead gently and started to walk away before the boy grabbed her index finger and she turned to look at him. His big golden orbs watched her carefully.

"Are you my mommy?"

He looked so vulnerable, so sulky as he asked. She felt like if she had told him that she wasn't, his heart would break. So she smiled and squeezed his hand comfortingly.

"I am."

The boy smiled. He looked _so_ happy. Her heart warmed. _So.. This motherly feeling I hadn't felt for 6 years.._

He soon fell asleep, a small smile still on his face. He looked peaceful.

She gently kissed his forehead and quietly left, shutting the door softly behind her.

As she stepped back into the living room, she sat on the couch next to InuYasha and slumped over, her head in her hands. She knew he'd ask why she left. She couldn't tell him. Never. Then everything would break, and probably more yelling, screaming, and fighting would continue. An excuse... Maybe a lie that seemed so believable.. She didn't want to, but for the sake of their happiness..

"You can't think all is forgiven and let's just ditsy on like you _didn't_ leave us for _6 years,_ did you?"

Her mind snapped. Yeah... What little was left of hope now just smashed like glass.

"What the hell do you want me to say?" She grumbled, lifting her head and placing it in her palm, staring at him with sorrowful and tired eyes, "The problem is is that I can't tell you why I left. I can't. I won't. Don't even ask. I was even going to lie, but that wouldn't be fair, now would it?"

Instantly, anger flared back up and the Hanyou and he growled viciously at her, his eyes coloring red.

"You can't tell me? You can't fucking tell me?! You're so full of bullshit, I thought you wanted us back in your life!"

Seeing how an argument was now unavoidable, she thanked everyone holy that she had closed Taiyo's door. She abruptly stood up and faced him, knowing that as he did the same thing, things were going to start getting more ugly.

"Of course I do, jerk!"

"That sounds like a whole lot of bullshit! You have no clue what you leaving did to us!"

"It freaking hurt me too!"

"That sounds like a fucking joke coming from the woman who won't say why she abandoned her family!"

"What do you think I did for these 6 years?!"

"Looks like you've been living a fucking stable life here with no problems! You got rid of a cell phone so we couldn't track you down, isn't that right?! You moved quite the distance away! Did you seriously not want to be found that badly?! What the hell are you hiding?!"

"Listen buddy, I did get rid of the phone so you wouldn't track me down for the reason that I won't tell you! I hoped you guys would continue living on without me just fine!"

He laughed bitterly. This argument was pissing him off to excruciating points.

"Yeah well we fucking didn't! I thought something bad happened to you because I didn't think you were the type to abandon your _son_ who was a fucking toddler at the time and was worried sick for months! Then I heard you disabled the credit card and flat out _knew_ that you were going to start putting everything in your name so I wouldn't know anything you do! I knew you abandoned us! You have no idea how bad it hurt when your own kid was asking where in the seven hells his own mother was, and cried nearly every damn day because he thought that you didn't love him so you left! You corrupted _your whole fucking family,_ is that what you wanted?!"

He had screamed all of that. His irises were crimson, and his claws were lengthening. He was _pissed beyond all reason._ She was scared. She was hurt. She should've just stayed with them. She should've just worried about the future when it came instead of her brain acting too quick.. She was on a plane to Tokyo before she could turn back. She hurt them. She hurt the last family she had. She hurt the ones she loved. Her husband.. Her own baby.. Her poor little boy..

Kagome fell to her knees. There was no way she could be with her family now. No way things could be happy. She'd screwed up every chance she had at a good life.

"What are you waiting for?" She asked softly, using every last ounce of restraint she had not to cry.

He looked down at her, his golden eyes changing back as he clenched his hands into fists and growled; "The hell are you talking about?"

"I'M ASKING YOU TO KILL ME, WHAT ELSE?!" She yelled up at him.

The shock hit him ten-fold and he stumbled back. "W-what?"

"You know it! I've corrupted the only family I had! I screwed up not only my life, but the ones I cared about! I deserve to be thrown Into the pits of hell!"

Her hands reached up and pulled at her hair painfully as she practically screamed as she cried. She just wanted it all to go away. She wanted this to be a bad dream. Her life was screwed up beyond repair.

Carefully, InuYasha strode over to the woman. He had no clue what was going on anymore. He wanted so bad to tell her it'd be alright. So bad. She was screaming, for Kami's sake! It was like the world was literally crashing around her. He thought it was pretty gruesome- somehow, she was going through indescribable hell, and he didn't know why. She was asking for him to fucking kill her! Like hell he would!

Dropping down in front of her, he pulled her into his chest. At the act she stiffened and shut up instantly. Taking this chance, he started talking.

"Listen, Kagome. I'm not killing you, and don't think about doing it yourself. I haven't seen Taiyo look so relieved in his life. Now, you're going to be calm and answer this with either yes or no; Do you hate us?"

"No," she muffled instantly into his chest.

"Alright, do you love us?"

There was a moment of hesitation before she also muffled, "Yes."

"Alright, then we're staying here with you. It's not like things are going to go immediately to being a big happy family. Taiyo may trust you and treat you like his mother, and you're still my mate, but I don't have a reason to trust you again just yet. Hell, you didn't even give an excuse for leaving us in the first place."

He finally let her go from his chest and pushed her back and held onto her shoulders. She stared sadly and tiredly at him. She looked like she had cried a life's worth of tears in one day.

"I'm.. Fine with that.. InuYasha.."

He watched her before chuckling dryly.

"I love you Kagome. Even after all the hell you've put us through, I still love you as much as I always have."

Her eyes widened. _He still... Loves me? Then maybe... Things will get better after all.._

"Ha.. I love you too. Even though I know I don't deserve you, and just thinking that you're giving me another chance is filling me with guilt... I don't deserve forgiveness.. And you don't have to forgive me, either. Just.. Being with my husband and child is enough."

He watched her as she sniffled, and he sighed when she was done talking. _Why the hell do things have to be this way? Why couldn't she have just stayed by us if even after 6 years, her love hasn't dulled in the slightest?_

"All you have to do is give it time. Just show me your trustworthy, and things won't feel so bad and heavy anymore. Be there for me and Taiyo from now on, and I can promise you that it'll be okay."

 _Time.. Something I don't seem to have much of anymore.._ Regardless of this thought,she nodded slightly and thanked the loving Hanyou before standing up with him and stretching. She was now completely and utterly exhausted. As she started walking to her room, she turned to look at him and yawned.

"Where do you wanna sleep, InuYasha?"

The reply was immediate and shocked her badly. "With you, where else?"

As she gaped at him, she asked, "You sure? You _want_ to lay with me when you can't trust me yet?" She deadpanned. What exactly was going through his mind?

His eyes narrowed. "That's exactly _why_ I'm sleeping with you. This way I can hear and feel it if you get up or something."

She frowned and rolled her eyes as she yawned again. She walked into the room now known as 'their' room and crawled under the covers on the king sized bed. It was such luck that it was king sized, who knew that her family would come back?

She grimaced at that thought and harshly shoved it away as she felt InuYasha lay down next to her.

"InuYasha?" She mumbled.

She got a mumbled response, and continued, "What about you and Taiyo's stuff?"

Groaning, he lifted his head from his pillow. "It's in the car, we'll get it out tomorrow."

She nodded and soon fell asleep, but an important thought entered her mind right before sleep claimed her.

 _How am I supposed to get out when I have somewhere to be tomorrow?_

o0o

She opened her eyes quickly, feeling like she overslept and Sango would be knocking on her door any minute. Quickly, her sleepy eyes darted to the glowing digital clock as it read 5:30. So, that meant that it wasn't yet bright outside. Good.

Now... How to get up without waking InuYasha? Gently and awfully silently, she picked up the cover that was over her and folded it over beside her. Stealthily, she swung her legs over and onto the floor and quietly stood up, thankful that the bed she bought didn't creak. Silently, she made her way over to her drawers and quickly got out some jeans and a black, long sleeved, turtleneck shirt and quickly slipped them on. She was also glad that the floor was carpet, so when the door opened it didn't creak as it swept gently along the floor. As she walked out of the room, she couldn't help but think back and roll her eyes.

 _Always gonna be able to hear me if I got up, huh? Good job. I'm not even that stealthy!_

As she slipped on her black shoes, she grabbed her purse from the kitchen and patiently waited in the living room for her best friend to show up and drive her to her long-awaited appointment. She knew what time Sango would be there, so she had 10 more minutes and she prayed that InuYasha wouldn't wake up. But then, she felt a small hand on her leg and she jumped. She looked down and saw a pair of sad golden eyes and her heart wrenched. _Taiyo.._

"Mommy? Are you leaving us?"

At these words she nearly sobbed, but if she did, her make-up would run. Gently, she lifted him onto the couch and grabbed him in a hug, and she felt him relax a little.

"No sweetie. I promise, I'll never leave you guys for good again. I love you, my precious baby boy."

His small arms gently wrapped around her and he allowed himself to become familiar with her smell, and he loved it. The vanilla scent was so calming to him. So nostalgic.

"Then where are you going?"

"Ah, yes. I have to go do something _very_ important, so when daddy wakes up, will you tell him that for me please?"

Kagome smiled as she felt him nod, and soon he went limp as he fell back asleep.

She glanced over at her watch and saw that Sango would be there in only 5 minutes, so gently and quickly, she lifted him away and laying down on the couch. She quickly went over to the fairly large drawer underneath the TV and pulled out a blanket and set it gently over her son. She sighed as she thought about how since only yesterday had she been reconnected with the people precious to her.

Quickly and quietly she stepped out of their door and into the calm apartment hallways as she shut and locked the door behind her. She turned to find Sango walking towards her with a set of keys dangling in her hand. Ahh.. Sango was the bestest friend anyone could ask for.. She was the only one she could trust with this.

"Ready?" Sango asked, smiling sadly at her.

Kagome just waved off the sadness and smiled back.

"Ready as I'll ever be."

o0o

Kagome arrived home around noon that day and swiftly came inside and shut and locked the door behind her, kicking off her shoes easily.

She saw InuYasha sitting on the couch next to Taiyo, and they were both watching some cartoon that it seemed her little boy was fond of.

InuYasha only glanced at her before turning his attention back to the TV. She noticed that their clothes were different and it smelled clean in here, so she assumed they took a shower after getting their things unpacked.

"So what was this important thing you had to do?"

"Don't worry about it," she mumbled.

He growled at her and glared over his shoulder.

"Yeah, goes to show I can trust you."

She frowned at him before sighing. "Sango needed me to go with her to pick out a wedding dress."

 _That actually happened last weekend but oh well._ She made sure that it was swift and her heart didn't race from the lie or else he'd know and she'd be in trouble.

He stared for a second before nodding and turning his head back to the TV.

She picked Taiyo up, which surprised him, and sat next to InuYasha and rested the boy in her lap. The boy turned in her lap and smiled at her.

She returned the smile warmly and glomped him in a hug, to which he also found surprising but gladly returned it.

InuYasha watched with soft eyes. Everybody's suffering seemed to be easing away, day by day.

"Why are you so forgiving Taiyo? Why do you accept me so easily? I've put you through so much.."

The scent of salt came to both of the boys and they frowned. They both had an instinct in them to stop this certain woman's tears.

"Because I see now that you didn't leave because you didn't love me. Your scent shows you aren't irritated or scared of me. I love you, mommy. I know you love me, too."

The woman broke into sobs as she clutched the boy tighter. Why, oh why was fate so cruel? Why did she leave her baby boy and husband? Fate was just a son if a bitch.

As Kagome felt the little boy nuzzle her cheek with his own and InuYasha's hand rubbing her back, her heart was comforted. She sniffled and finally stopped crying. She looked at her son and as she saw him smiling at her, she said;

"What? I can't be a big baby?"

He giggled softly at her. She smiled and continued, "Come on, you also cry!"

He pouted, his eyes glassy.

"I'm a man! I don't cry!"

Her eyes softened and saddened as her hand rose to his cheek and her thumb caught the tear that fell.

"But then why are you crying right now?"

The little boy swallowed- the lump in his throat making it difficult to do so, before he choked;

"I...missed you mommy..."

Her eyes widened as he hugged her tighter and cried into her neck. She felt a fresh onslaught of tears as she looked over at InuYasha, who had been silently watching the whole time.

He shrugged as he looked at her.

"Taiyo talked about you almost everyday Kagome." He said softly.

She bit her lip and pushed down the lump in her throat and rubbed her son's back softly. She couldn't cry. She needed to be strong for him. But she knew what was going to happen. She knew it all- so his words made her heart shatter.

Fate was _seriously_ such a cruel hearted bastard.

"I know Taiyo, I'll never leave you. Luckily you had daddy with you, we both love you."

The boy's crying soon ended and it was just sniffling.

"You know, let's just go eat somewhere fancy tonight... Hmm, I'll get you ice cream, okay Taiyo! And they even have special Ramen there..."

Instantly, 4 furry ears perked up and two excited voices cheered; "Ramen!"

She chuckled. _Like father like son._

o0o

They were sitting quietly at the decorative table and waited for their food. Kagome thought it was really nice, the fact that they were all speaking together and laughing. Just for this moment, everything was peaceful.

But then that moment ended.

Kagome suddenly paled at feeling something warm settle in her throat and it started burning. Choking on it, she grabbed a cloth napkin quickly and coughed into it. Taiyo was surprised at her sudden coughing fit, but he gently patted his mom on the back, unbeknownst to him, his dad was doing the same.

Her mind reeled in shock as she felt the very _very_ familiar and foul taste in her mouth as she coughed it out. Everything was so peaceful. Now was not good.

Now, many thought she was choking on something, and were staring, but as her fit ended they turned back to their food. How they could continue eating was a mystery.

She stopped coughing and opened her eyes and visibly paled at the amount of blood on the cloth. Great, now it was stained. Would they get fined for that?

She folded it and decided to just put it in her purse and throw it away when she got home.

"Kagome?" InuYasha asked, worry evident in his voice.

Both Taiyo and InuYasha smelt blood, and both had an idea she was trying to hide it.

"Mommy are you hurt?" The little boy asked.

She turned to him, smiling slightly. "No sweetie, why do you think so?"

Gently, he rose his own napkin to her face and wiped something that was dribbling off the corner of her mouth. For a little boy, this action was surprising, it made her wonder how grown up he was. Damn, she missed good years of his life.

Her eyes widened as he showed her the crimson blood that he wiped away onto the cloth.

InuYasha already knew it was blood when she started coughing.

She took her glass of tea and drank until the foul taste of blood was gone.

"Mommy is fine, I accidentally bit my tongue _too_ hard, silly me!"

The little boy put the napkin away and beamed up at her, obviously buying the excuse. But, her husband was rather unconvinced. They have been married for 6 years, and that's _excluding_ the years she was gone.

As she turned her head to InuYasha she nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw his eyes narrowed pointedly at her. She smiled softly at him with eyes that said she was pretty guilty. Yet another lie. He'd never trust her at this rate!

It seems like after they ate and even during it nobody spoke. Yeah, that's exactly what happened. Nobody said anything. Taiyo was quiet because even he could sense the immense tension in the air and decided to stay quiet. Kagome was too guilty to speak, and InuYasha wondered _just_ how many things she could possibly _already_ be hiding from them. This was her family!

But soon enough, they were heading home in InuYasha's car (Kagome doesn't have one, Sango took her this morning remember?) and all still remained silent. Except this broke when there was snoring from the back seat. Kagome looked back to see Taiyo still asleep and she smiled warmly.

"He hasn't slept so peacefully in so long, ya know."

Kagome jumped at InuYasha's voice and looked over at him. Finally, they had spoken once more tonight.

"It's also funny how you act like you didn't leave us for 6 years and are still hiding things from us."

She groaned internally and sighed. He could just not go a day without bringing it up. He'll probably hold it against her forever.

"How do you want me to act, InuYasha? He's still my son, and I still love him. I still love you, too. If I didn't I would've just left signed divorce papers on the counter and a note that gave you custody over our son."

"If you still love us like nothing ever happened, then why the hell did you leave in the first place?"

"I told you that I can't answer that, InuYasha."

"Wow, you can't fucking answer! What's new?!"

At his loud voice she jumped and quickly glanced at Taiyo to see him still sleeping and she turned and glared at him.

"Look, if you're going to start another argument, it can wait until we get home. Taiyo doesn't need to wake to you cursing and us arguing."

He scoffed, "He's used to my cursing."

She gaped openly at him before sighing and leaning her head on the window. What a loooong day.

o0o

Kagome sat on the bed in her nightgown, looking absently at the digital clock nervously as she waited for InuYasha to finish changing. She knew he'd ask about the blood and probably argue some more over the fact that she left for 6 years and still hasn't gave an explanation of why.

She jumped as he was glowering down at her and she gulped. He was just like when they first met!

"Alright Kagome. You remember when I said you had to prove you're trustworthy?"

She nodded slowly.

"You aren't doing a very good job at it."

After saying so he sat beside her. The room was a little bright, the lamp was on.

He turned to her as she turned to him with sulky eyes.

"I don't understand what you want me to do, InuYasha. What do you want me to say?"

He rolled his eyes. "Maybe say why you left us?"

She was becoming more sad with every second. He needed to let it go!

"I'm sorry, okay! That's all I can do now! All I can do now is say sorry! All I can do is wallow in a flood of guilt because I screwed up our family.. I can't tell you the exact reason why I left, but for this time, trust me when I say it was in a spur of the moment when I was worried about you guys. All I can tell you is that I left so Taiyo wouldn't get attached to me, and you would grow to hate me. If you did, then... In the end it'd all be okay.."

His gaze hardened as he tried to comprehend what exactly she meant. She was leaving out something big.. Like the main reason she left. For some reason, though, he couldn't help but worry.

"You know me and Taiyo would never hate you, and even at 2 years old he was attached to you like glue! I don't trust you because I want to make sure you aren't going to leave us again! Why aren't you just telling me the reason, whatever it is, I swear that once you say it that everything will be okay again. But on another note, why do you always have to hide something from me?! Even before you left, you hid all the important things in your life from me! Up to today you've become pretty good at masking your scent with your powers, but during dinner, that was a lie!"

His mind rolled onto another thought as he thought back to dinner. Ah, he needed to talk to her about that.

Suddenly, Kagome jumped as InuYasha abruptly grabbed her shoulders and his nose was inches from hers.

"What's happening to you, Kagome? During dinner.. You can try to hide it but I could smell the blood and I saw it before you threw the napkin away. Are you alright?"

Inwardly her mind laughed. _So he's going to yell at me one minute and worry about me the next? Ah, whatever. It's fine. It doesn't seem like he's mad anymore and that's what matters, I guess._

"I... I..."

"You're going to the doctor's tomorrow. If you won't agree to go, then I'm dragging you there. I'm going with you anyway, so that whatever the doctor says then I'm going to hear so you won't be hiding that from me either."

Her eyes widened and she paled. _Go to the doctors with me?! Oh no, no no no no... He can't... He doesn't NEED to know!_

"I... Don't want to go..."

"Whether you want to or not, I don't care! You. Are. GOING!" He growled at her.

She jumped and sighed. There was no way to get him out of this.

"What about Taiyo?"

"Taiyo... Can he come with?"

"No!" She yelled instantly. Her sudden outburst made him jump and he let go of her shoulders. She cleared her throat before saying calmly, "If there _is_ something wrong it's best that he doesn't know or he'll worry. I get sick like this every now and then, you know. I'll call Sango tomorrow and ask if she'll let him hang out with her kids."

He nodded before leaving over and kissing her on the forehead before he went over to his side and crawled under the blankets.

Kagome had the decency to blush. She hasn't seen him for 6 years, after all. Gently, she crawled under the covers next to him and fell asleep, worrying about tomorrow.

o0o

Everyone was dressed, fed, and sitting peacefully on the couch waiting for Sango already by 6:30 AM.

Taiyo was sitting neatly in Kagome's lap and InuYasha had an arm around the woman. Seems things became more cozy after last night. He was becoming more sure that she didn't leave them is what Kagome guessed.

"Are you gonna be alright with Sango and Miroku and her kids, Taiyo?" Kagome said sweetly.

The boy shrugged. "I dunno. Do they have any my age?"

She giggled. He sounded so content and.. Acted just like InuYasha. She wondered if he'd grow up to be just like him. Better not be a teenager and cursing just like his father had at that age! Ah... Those were the days when they first met.

"They have twelve kids, I'm 90% sure they do!"

InuYasha chuckled next to her.

"You still keep in touch with Sango and Miroku?"

"Yeah. They were our best friends through middle school and high school. Those were the days.."

"You make it sound like we're old."

"We're getting there."

They smiled at each other before there was knocking on the door.

Kagome gently picked up Taiyo and set him down as she stood up alongside InuYasha and walked to the door. Upon opening, the first one she saw was Miroku.

"Kagome!" The man said, and reached forward to give her a hug.

Well, almost. A certain raven-haired little boy stepped in between and growled at him.

"You touch my mom and your arms come off!"

InuYasha gaped at him and Kagome looked down in surprise (but also embarrassment) at her little boy. What a sweet and protective child! She was so proud... *Sniffle*

Miroku chuckled. "I can see the resemblance, InuYasha."

Said Hanyou growled and nearly punched him before Miroku was thrown aside by a certain brunette and she stared up in shock and curiosity at the Hanyou.

"InuYasha? You... You're back with Kagome now?"

Ooh.. At this the air tensed, and Sango looked over and frowned at Kagome.

"Ah.. The family is whole again. Warms my heart," Miroku said from behind Sango. Nobody bothered to move inside, seems having a conversation in the middle of the apartment hallway was nice enough.

"Yeah. That's... How it is now." Kagome replied, and the tense air soothed away.

"Kagome..." Sango said softly. She was worried, Kagome always cried to her about missing them and that she wouldn't know what to do if they found her again and here they were... Together.. Kagome looked okay, though, so to Sango it seemed like things weren't as bad as Kagome thought.

Sango hugged her best friend and whispered so only they could hear; "So do they know?"

"No.. I can't tell them."

Ah.. So that's why she wasn't a wreck. Sango sighed and her grip tightened.

"They'll know sooner or later, Kagome. You... You know.."

Kagome nodded. "Yeah... I know.."

Sango pulled back and smiled solemnly at her friend. If only things weren't like this. She wanted to cry and hold Kagome, but if she cried then both families would figure something was up. Miroku knew, Kagome had told them both.

As Kagome kissed Taiyo bye and Miroku smiled down at him as he started to walk to the car, Sango stood still.

"So.. You're going to the doctor, Kagome?"

The woman nodded. "I.. Had another coughing attack last night."

Sango gasped. She knew Kagome's frequent coughing fits... If Sango had been there to see her cough up more blood she wouldn't be able to take it.

"Are.. You going to be okay?"

Kagome nodded and hugged her once more as they all walked to their vehicles. Today was already starting out really sloppy.

o0o

Kagome smiled gently at InuYasha and he squeezed her hand as they waited for the doctor's analysis.

"Now.. Kagome, you know you-" he stopped as he saw her pleading eyes, and suddenly her voice entered his mind. He wasn't shocked, he was her doctor after all and knew she had powers.

 _"Don't tell him, please. Make up something. I'm begging you."_

Nodding internally, he quickly made up something.

"Miss Kagome has these attacks every now and then, so it's not that much to worry about. Coughing up blood is indeed frightening, but most of the time it's because she missed out on a medication for the day."

Well, Kagome knew it was all lie because she didn't take any medication, but InuYasha didn't because he hasn't been there for 6 years. Ugh, that thought was never good.

"I'll just go write up prescription and grab the medicine and you're free to go. Please go wait by the front desk for awhile."

They got up and swiftly made it to the waiting area and sat down once more. It was quiet until InuYasha finally spoke up.

"So.. You have those types of attacks often?"

"Only if I miss out on a medication for that day," she waved away gently. How easy it was becoming for her to lie scared her. But that's what she seemed to be doing nowadays around them. She was only trying to keep their happiness in check.

"Feh, don't do it again! I'm gonna ask you about it everyday, got it?"

Chuckling, she nodded. The doctor called her and she told InuYasha to stay as she went up there to get the medicine. For what it was for, she didn't know.

As the doctor handed it to her, he looked sadly at her.

"This is to make sure you don't have another attack, just take two every day.. And Kagome.. One more week."

She paled and her eyes widened. "O-one?"

The doctor nodded sadly and gazed over at InuYasha. "It'd be best to tell your family soon.. You have a child, don't you?"

She nodded weakly and did her best to put on a brave smile, which saddened the poor doctor greatly.

Kagome walked over to InuYasha, who was standing patiently by the front door. They didn't say anything as they stepped out and climbed into the car. As soon as he started the engine, he turned to her just in time to wipe a tear off her face.

"Why are you crying? What's wrong?"

Kagome turned her head and smiled weakly, clutching the medicine so hard that she thought it'd break. "Crying? I'm not..."

"Yes you are! What is it?"

"InuYasha! I'm just.. Not feeling good today.. Come on, let's go over to Sango's.."

He grumbled and stepped on the gas, driving over to Sango's house quietly and quickly. Nobody spoke or anything like that until they walked inside their friend's house and Kagome was glomped in a hug. Miroku pulled InuYasha into the kitchen to hang out because they haven't seen each other in forever.

Sango needed the alone time with Kagome, anyway.

The second Sango opened her mouth, Kagome Started crying really hard into her shoulder. Sango's eyes widened and her grip on her friend tightened. _What happened to Kagome? The time couldn't have.._

"Kagome?"

"There's only a week left, Sango! A week! What.. What do I do?"

Sango's eyes widened further as tears spilled out of her own eyes. _No... No! Oh, Kami, please don't let this be real!_

They both had a semi-long sobbing fest together, holding each other tight and crying loudly onto each other's shoulders. It was like the first day Sango got the news..

They were surprised the boys hadn't come in there.

"Kagome.. Do.. Does InuYasha know?"

Kagome shook her head into her shoulder as their sobbing reduced to sniffles.

Sango let go and her watery eyes narrowed at her friend.

"That's it, Kagome, they have to know! Only a week, Kagome you have no clue what you're doing! You're keeping this horrible secret locked away and the only one hurting is you, you're practically killing yourself bit by bit everyday! They've got to know!"

Sango started dragging Kagome by the wrist to the kitchen. Kagome struggled and even dug her heels into the carpet, but it didn't even slow the brunette down. She cursed Sango's strength.

Finally, they came into the kitchen and the boys turned to look at them.

They seem startled by the girl's puffy eyes and tear-stained cheeks and was about to ask what happened before Sango spoke up.

"InuYasha, do you want to know what Kagome is hiding, why she left you guys?!"

"No, wait Sango!"

"No, Kagome!" The brunette snapped back, her eyes glancing back at her sadly, "It's for your own good!"

 _Kagome...?_ InuYasha's thoughts ran worriedly as he nodded hesitantly.

"She left you guys because she is going to _die_ in a week!"

It all happened so fast. Kagome slid to the ground and starting crying, Miroku gripped the glass in his hand so hard it started to crack, InuYasha dropped the glass in his hand and it shattered against the floor, and what's worse is that Taiyo, with his super-hearing, heard and rushed over to his mom's side and grabbed her tightly.

Then, there was a lot of yelling and talking, and Kagome's ears started ringing-

Right before she passed out.

o0o

Kagome's eyes slowly opened and she sat up and her eyes adjusted to the soft light of the lamp in her room. She thought it was just a dream until in front of her was two glowering red eyes.

Great. What she awoke to was not sadness, worry, or concern, but _full-blown anger._

Reassuring.

"InuYasha.." She started, but he cut in with a growl.

"No, shut up. Why didn't you just fucking tell me? That's what the blood actually was, and also why you were crying earlier, wasn't it?! You _knew_ you were going to die, but you kept it your stupid little secret! You weren't supposed to hide things anymore, damn it! How long have you known?!"

"It was the reason I left.. I knew it three days before.. I left so that once I d-die it wouldn't hurt you guys as bad.."

"Then you weren't fucking thinking at the time! If you had just stayed with us and told us then that you had a certain amount of time to live, it would've been okay because we'd know how much time we'd get to spend with you and would've made the best of every damn day! Instead, you ran like a fucking coward! Taiyo heard, and he's been worried sick about you this whole damn time!"

Tears were just rolling down her face. She seemed to be crying a lot lately.

Suddenly, he pulled her onto his lap and his arms wrapped tightly around her.

"I love you, damn it. Oh Kami, I don't want you to go.. You should've told me.. Only a week.. Only a week.."

o0o

They did as much as they could from that day forward. At times, they'd all become really depressed but for Kagome's sake they'd all continue on. She took the medicine to stop the coughing attacks, but that's all it could stop. Her body was in agony every day, so all she could do was take alieve throughout the day which helped her. She hid the pain all the while, toughing it out so that they could all have fun while she still could move.

Nothing could stop her body from slowly breaking apart on the inside. First her brain started to shut down frequently and when she finally snapped out of it, it'd have been 3 minutes later and she'd have everyone repeat what they said.

The feeling in her legs came next. Slowly, they were not working and she'd often fall. It scared InuYasha and Taiyo to death, so they never left her alone. If she had to go to the bathroom at a restaurant or something then Taiyo would go with her. Nobody really cared about a little boy in the girl's bathroom, he was just a kid.

On Saturday she awoke to having no feeling in her legs. InuYasha let her on his back. They still laughed and had a nice time.

But then, that Saturday night it had ended. While sitting on the couch, she stopped breathing and Taiyo noticed first- the poor kid- and screamed for his dad, and she was rushed to the hospital and was soon breathing again. At midnight it dawned on them that today was her last day.

So here they were now, all sitting in her hospital room as she slept soundly. Sango and Miroku was there and she had her head buried in Miroku's shoulder. They both cared deeply for their friend; it was excruciatingly sad to know that she had probably about 22 hours more until she would no longer be on this earth.

Taiyo never left her side, and was just quietly sitting and braiding his mom's hair as she slept. His heart was hurting. He finally was with her, and here she was ripped once again from them. She was his mom; he loved her.

InuYasha was sitting by her side on the hospital bed, rubbing her right hand gently as he willed himself to not cry. He had been so mean to her. If only he'd known.. If only he'd have figured it out sooner.

Both boys gasped as the woman's hand stroked Taiyo's furry ears softly. Her eyes slowly woke, and she said "That's some lovely braiding skill there, Taiyo. It looks lovely."

The little boy's eyes lit up and he hugged his mom gently. He thought she was as fragile as glass at this point.

"Mom.. I thought you promised you wouldn't leave me.."

Kagome smiled. She wasn't going to make her last hours depressing, she wanted to die knowing that everyone was going to be okay!

"Pfft, duh! I'm not leaving! You may not see me, but I'll be there!"

Everybody's heart twinged with sadness at her cheerful voice. She was trying _so_ very hard to lift their spirits.

Taiyo stayed quiet and let her tweak his ears for a few more moments before sitting back and staring at her. He couldn't cry. If his mom and dad were staying strong, he could, too!

"Oh, InuYasha?"

His eyes met hers and an eyebrow rose. Good. He wasn't crying yet.

"Now, when you go home after I kick the bucket-" everybody cringed at this, she was acting like her dying was just something to be waved off- "I need you to get into my panty drawer and grab the box out of there."

Miroku and Sango laughed, Taiyo looked disgusted, and InuYasha's face turned red.

"P-panty drawer?!"

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Yes, _panty drawer,_ you know, the undergarments girls wear to cover their-"

"I KNOW WHAT IT IS!" He screeched. The woman laughed. She was doing her best to will everyone away from crying.

"After you find the box, open it. There'll be a note that guides you from there."

"Why your panty drawer?"

"Because nobody goes through somebody's underwear drawer." She thought for a second, before adding, "Except Miroku."

Said person smiled nervously and his wife leaned away and off his shoulder.

Kagome was now sitting up and she beckoned Sango and Miroku over and they came and knelt by her hospital bed. She considered them family, too.

"Ah, sorry, I'll miss your wedding, Sango. I really wanted to see you in that dress." Kagome pouted. She had so much she wanted to do and see before she died!

Immediately, Sango's heart weighed down and she nodded sadly.

"You'll send me a picture of you two kissing after the vows right?"

The couple blushed and Sango looked skeptical. Sticking her tongue out at her. Kagome answered her silent question.

"Frame it and place it on my gravestone, girly! I'll see it! Yeesh. You guys act like I'm leaving forever, but if you wanna talk to me just come to my gravestone! Lighten up! Don't make me depressed in my final hours, I don't want to start crying now!"

Despite the depressed mood settled deep in everyone's hearts, they decided it'd be best to make the most now and grieve later. It was her last wish..

"Miroku... If I find that wandering hand of yours placed south of where it's supposed to be when you're kissing in the photo, I'm cursing you for life."

The adults all laughed, Taiyo on the other hand was completely weirded out by what they were talking about. _So Mister Miroku is a pervert?_ He thought.

"For you then, I shall not."

"We'll see.." Kagome mumbled thoughtfully. It made Miroku embarrassed. Her last thoughts of him would always be that he was a pervert.

"Taiyo, sweetie?" Kagome asked, and said boy snapped up and looked at her with loving eyes. He was really gonna miss her.

"Don't be like daddy," she started. Sango clasped her hand over her mouth as to not start laughing, Miroku chuckled, and InuYasha gaped at her. What did he do?!

"Got it. Dad's no good." The little boy replied with a slight smirk. His mother giggled and InuYasha was becoming more embarrassed with each second. His pride was broken! Broken!

"He was cursing, smoking, and all that bad stuff at his early teens. He even got arrested once!" Taiyo gasped. He never got this type of insight on his dad's past. "If I hadn't have come along and beat him up with my powers every time he did something bad, he probably would be in jail right now."

InuYasha gaped further and another round of laughs went throughout the room. At least the tense air was no longer there. Seems everyone was content for the moment.

"H-hey!" InuYasha started, finally gaining his voice back.

"What? You know it's true."

InuYasha opened his mouth to protest, but closed it and grumbled out some silent profanities to himself. What a role model.

A sudden coughing attack from Kagome brought everyone back to the horrifying realisation that their time together was limited. Sango choked back a sob and Miroku closed his eyes and held his fiance tight while Taiyo and InuYasha helped get her back under control. As she stopped coughing and stared absentmindedly at the blood on her sleeve, she realised the saddened air was back. Damn, and after all that work, too.

"I'm sorry, everyone," she said gently, "Seems I have less time than I thought.."

The sentence made everyone stare at her with watery eyes as she gently laid back on the bed. Death was slowly embracing her gently. But kindly, Lady Death allowed her to say some parting words as Kagome smiled.

"You know I love you guys. Thank you for a brilliant life. See you later..."

And gently her eyes closed, the heart monitor slowly reaching a straight thin line, and finally, everyone started to grieve.

o0o

The raven-haired woman in the white dress stood off to the side, her transparent body invisible to the loved ones grieving over her. A few tears of her own slipped out. It'd all happened too fast, she wondered why fate had led her family back to her just before her date was set to pass on. She'd only have a short while to be with them.. Dearly, she wished she could go back 6 years to where she still lived and had spent her time with them.

Before her eyes, the hospital and all surroundings disappeared and she was left alone.


End file.
